The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-28
IRON INTERESTS NEED 1T.
WHY THE INTERSTATE LAW
SHOULD BE SUSPENDED.

Vice President Stahlman, of the Louis
vile and Nashville, Urges the Com
mission to Consider Alabama's Iron
Interests Respect for Congress
is Nil-Birmingham is His Pet.
WASHINGTON, May e7.-E B. Stahlman,
Third Vice President of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad, appeared before the
Interstate Commerce Commission to-day to
answer certain statements made by Com
missioners Fink and Gault of the Queen
and Crescent route. He said if there was
any exceptions anywhere on this continent,
that called for relief under the fourth sec
tion, the whole Southern system of rail
roads is that exception, Touching the appli-
cation made by his company, Mr. Stahlman
said that the impression had been created
that the Louisville and Nashville wanted
relief from the operation of the law, as it
affected every point in the country As a
matter of fact, it sought relief at only seven
teen points, and at fifteen OF them there is
strong water competition, as far as
the traffic between Kentucky points
and Cincinnati is concerned
INGENIOUS ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Stahlman suggested that the effect of
the application would be to cause the rail
road companies to open depots at Coving-
ton and Newport, opposite Cincinnati, and
maintain the present competitive rates from
these places to Frankfort and other Ken
tucky,points. By an elaborate statement of
rates MIR. Stahlman sought to remove, what
he styled, the mistaken impression to the
effect that the Southern railroads deliber-
ately had gone to work to build up the Ala
bama iron interests at the expense of the
other sections of the country. The rates
were fair and equitable and the people We're
satisfied with them.
NOT LOCAL BUT THROUGH RATES,
In answer to the chairman he said he was
not aware OF any necessity for any relief in
the matter of pig iron rates on his own line,
but he did desire relief in through traffic to
New York. The chairman suggested that
such an order would be futile unless other
connecting roads Joined in the application
Mr.. Stahlman replied that the Lake Erie
and Western railroad was so situated that
it could unite with his road on 81 rate to
New York without violating the law
Then you don't want an order" remarked
Commission Walker. The witness replied
that his road wanted the business and could
not make sure that the company he had
mentioned would consent to unite in any
satisfactory rates.
BIRMINGHAM's ITEREsTs.
Mr.. Stahlman stated that the business of,
Birmingham would be crippled if his road
was obliged to charge as much to Birming
ham as it charged to intermediate points.
The chairman inquired if a compliance with
the request for a suspension of the fourth
section in the South would not amount to
virtual notification of the law in that sec
tion of country The witness replied in the
affirmative and maintained the necessity for
such suspension. The people of Alabama,
he said, were not hankering for the enforce
ment of the law. The chairman remarked
that people of the South seemed to have felt
the necessity for the law, as evidenced
by the action of Congress. Mr.. Stahlman
answered that the people Of the South had
very little feeling in the matter. Said he:
sit was just our friends in Congress who
came here and said, we will ride along on
this current, and good many Of them were
sorry for it, too
CONGRESS BEYOND CRITICISM.
Further on in his argument, Mr.. Stahl-
man again animadverted upon the spirit
that had animated Congress when 1t passed
the law. Commissioner Bragg interrupted
him to say that such reflections upon the
intelligence of Congress were not in place
The remarks were lacking in the respect
due to the supreme law-making power
Mr.. Stahlman admitted that the point was
well taken, and concluded his argument
without further incident.